Hufflepuff Pride
by Rachel Red Ridinghood
Summary: Hannah Abbot, one of the background students, finally pipes up and tells her story living in the least respected House at Hogwarts. Hufflepuffs aren't particularly brave, ambitious, or clever, but there is something about this House that no one really thinks about. They are the ideal Hogwarts. PLEASE REVIEW!
1. Chapter 1: What the Hell is a Hufflepuff

Hello. My name is Hannah Abbott.

No, stop! I know what you're thinking. You were about to click the back button to find a new story that would be of interest to you. Well, to tell you the truth, that probably would have found you a more exciting story, but mine's important too. So are you staying? Great! Now that I have your attention I will continue.

You may not remember me as well as you do Harry, Ronald, or Hermione, and I can tell you why. I am a Hufflepuff. That's right. I'm in the House with the badger. We never win the House Cup or any Quidich games. In other words, we're not the best at anything. We're the House that nobody wants to get into. Why? I don't really know. I guess it's because we're all supposed to be loyal and that's nothing compared to being brave, smart, or ambitious. One may ask, "Why does Hufflepuff even exist if nobody likes it?"

I am not here to answer stupid questions. I am here to answer one question:

**What the hell is a Hufflepuff?**

I know the answer.


	2. Chapter 2: The Beginning

I suppose I should start at the beginning of my own experience at Hogwarts to introduce the life of a Hufflepuff.

I remember standing in line with the other First Years. Since my last name began with an A I was sure to go first in the line up. My family history was rather sporadic in what House we landed in. My father was a Gryffindor, but my grandparents were a Gryffindor and a Ravenclaw. The only House I was sure I wouldn't be in was Slytherin. There was no desire in my heart to be a part of that House and I carried no qualities that I knew of that would put me there either. All I knew was that whatever House I was going to be in I would do my best to be a supportive member.

"Abbott, Hannah," called Professor McGonagall. It was time.

I took careful steps up to the stool where the Hat was set. The Sorting Hat was placed on my head but surprised me when it fell over my eyes. I heard the voice of the Sorting Hat in my head.

_First one of the year, are you? Well, I better be sharp in placing you. Now let's see, not Slytherin, that is sure._

I knew it! No Slytherin for me!

_But I do not see you fitting in Gryffindor or Ravenclaw either. Better be..._

"HUFFLEPUFF!" the Hat called out to the Great Hall.

Hufflepuff? I had an uncle who was in Hufflepuff, I thought. But was I really not smart or brave? I looked over to the table with gold and black decorations. The students were all clapping and smiling. I smiled and walked over to my new family. Little did I know how much they would mean to me.

Within the following minutes four other Hufflepuffs were added to our table. I knew Susan and Ernie from play dates and other events when we were smaller but Zacharias and Justin were new to me and I was looking forward to getting to know them better.

After the feast we were escorted to the Hufflepuff dorm by our Prefects. Fortunately it was not that far because we were all tired and full and would have gotten lost rather easily. It was by the kitchens and through a passageway hidden in the barrels that we crawled through to find our common room. (We were strictly warned about the consequences of getting the barrel wrong and being sent through a trap door meant for intruders.) I suppose we are a small House because I had to share the room with four other girls and only one of them in my Year. But that didn't really matter. We were all going to be spending the next school year living with each other and that was that. Exhausted we all fell into our beds happy for rest and excited to begin the first day of school in the morning.

The next morning I woke up to the sound of a dreadfully cheerful voice.

"Wakey wakey children! It's time to start to day!"

"Ugh," I moaned. "Who is that?"

"That would be the Fat Friar, the House ghost," replied one of the older girls, sounding just as tired as me. "He wakes us up in the morning to make sure we're on time for breakfast. He has a thing for making sure the students in his House are all in order."

I groggily lifted myself from my bed and began preparing myself for the day. Didn't want to disappoint the Fat Friar on the first day.

I do not really remember much of my first few days because it was not all worth remembering. But I suppose what happened with the Slytherins was not really good, but I remembered it all the same.

Draco Malfoy. Not exactly the worst person in the Wizarding World, but not the nicest by any means.

I was just leaving my first class of Transfiguration and I was all nervous that I couldn't make the match do anything at all.

"Hey Abbot!" called Draco from behind me. I almost jumped he surprised me so. But I just ignored him and kept walking.

"Abbot!" he called again. "Come back here! I want to talk to you!" I ignored him again, not wanting to get in any trouble. My pace increased to a brisk walk.

"ABBOT I'M TALKING TO YOU!" he yelled. Before I knew it he had come up from behind me and grabbed my robes. I was scared. What business could he possibly have with me? I tried to run but his cronies Crabbe and Goyle grabbed my arms and lifted me into the air. Draco swaggered around them and came to a stop in front of me smiling.

"That's better," he chuckled. "Now, as I said, I want a word with you."

"What c-could you p-possibly have to say t-to me," I stammered. I was not usually so shy or timid, but dealing with a Slytherin from a family as notorious as the Malfoys I don't think anyone would have been brave either.

"I just wanted to call you a stupid, cowardly, sniveling Half-blood but I think your manners have caused you to deserve much more than just a name calling," his smile curved into a dastardly grin. "Let's take her to the dungeons."


	3. Chapter 3: Proper Place

The only things in the dungeons were the Potions classroom and the Slytherin dormitories, both of which I was terrified of. What happened wasn't exactly what I was expecting. Crabbe and Goyle had gotten tired of carrying me after the third flight of stairs down and had resorted to having me walk for myself, but kept a tight grasp of my arms. Draco was leading the way, occasionally turning around to give me a evil grin and make sure I was still scared. When we finally made it to the dungeons Draco stopped right in front of a wall.

"Alright Abbott," he said, turning to face me. "Stand right here and say the password." Crabbe and Goyle let go of my arms. My instinct was to run but Goyle quickly picked me up and placed me back in front of Malfoy. He did not seem amused. "Well go on."

I did know it, so I tried asking. "Um, what is the password?"

"Ha! She thinks I'm actually going to let her in!" Malfoy's cackle echoed off the stone. But his laughter soon ended, his face returning to his mischievous grin. "Just guess." He then strutted behind me, looking very pleased with himself. I stood, staring at the wall. It was obviously the secret entrance to the Slytherin dormitories.

I had no idea what the password could be, but I tried the first thing that came to my head. "Draconus Magnia?"

Suddenly the floor disappeared from beneath my feet and I started falling. I called out for help but Malfoy and his accomplices were laughing so hard I was sure they would fall over. Into the darkness I fell, sliding down a slippery, wet passageway to an unknown destination. It turned upward and I felt my momentum sounding me flying up, up, and up. It wasn't until then that I realized I was screaming because I was out of breath. I shot up through a small hole and landed on cold, hard stone. I slowly got up, my hands and face bruised from the impact. I began looking around me to see where I was, but this was some place that I had never seen or heard of. The sound of laughter was coming from somewhere above me. I looked up. Sure enough, there was Malfoy and his crew looking into what seemed like an old drain into where I was.

"Thought your dormitory was the only one with a trap?" scoffed Malfoy. "Welcome to the Slytherin dungeon! Where we keep attempted intruders and disrespectful little girls...like you."

My eyes stung wit the beginnings of tears. "You let me out right now, you hear?" I called up, my voice showing more bravery than my heart felt. "Let me out now or else!" I had no idea what the "or else" would be, but I was desperate for a way back.

"Not going to happen Abbot. Besides, you're a Hufflepuff. Not like anyone's going to miss you anyway." At that he, Crabbe, and Goyle turned to leave.

"NO YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME DOWN HERE!"

Malfoy turned and looked down at me. "You're in your proper place now, Hannah. And don't expect anyone to help you out of it either."

My eyes burned with tears. They slid down my face making tracks that I didn't bother to wipe of. It was cold, dark, and I was alone. I was already late for my Charms class and was scared stiff of what would happen I I didn't show up at all. Would I be banned from the class this year and have to take it with next years First Years? Would I be kicked out o Hogwarts? Would I have to give up Magic?! Whenever I heard the faintest sound coming from above me I called out, begging for someone to help me. But no one stopped. No one came.

Draco was right. No one was looking for me. No one was missing me. I was a Hufflepuff and that was my place; at the bottom of a pit.


	4. Chapter 4: A Helping Hand

I don't remember how long I was down there, but apparently not as long as I thought. I had curled up into a ball on the damp, cold floor and just gave up. Apparently I fell asleep because the next time I opened my eyes I was in the Hospital Wing. On the way down into the dungeon I had received a cut I didn't even feel and they were concerned that it would become infected because of where I was. Madame Pomfrey had put a special ointment on it that would fix me right up but I had to wait a few minutes before I was able to get to my classes. I was out of the dungeon and I didn't even know who I needed to thank. I asked the boy in the bed next to mine who brought me here but he said that he had gotten there a few minutes after I did so he didn't see. I learned that the boy's name was Neville and that he was in Gryffindor. He seemed rather shy for a Gryffindor, though. He never looked me exactly in the eye when we talked and was rather frantic when he realized he had lost something.

"My remembral!" he exclaimed, standing up. He only had one useful hand so it was rather odd watching him turn in circles trying to reach his opposite pocket. "I don't have it!" He sat back down on his bed, staring at the floor. "My gran is going to kill me."

I eyed him curiously. "Why would your gran kill you? I'm sure you'll find it soon enough," I reassured him, but it didn't seem to help.

"She gave it to me to help me remember things I've forgot but now I've forgotten it somewhere."

"Hey," I moved to sit next to him on his bed. "I'll help you find it if that will make you feel better."

"Really?" His face brightened a bit. "That would be a bit help. Thank you," he smiled.

I smiled back, "Don't mention it."

But my help was not needed. Harry Potter had retrieved it from Malfoy who had gotten a hold of it and quickly returned it to Neville. Back in the Hufflepuff Common Room I was working on some Charms homework when Susan appeared to interrupt my thoughts.

"I didn't see you after Transfiguration. What happened to you?"

I didn't say anything. I knew she was trying to be a good friend and all but I just didn't feel like talking about the Slytherin dungeon yet. But to my surprise she kept on talking.

"What was he like? Is he as handsome as everyone says he is? Was he all heroic and stuff?"

"Whoa! Wait, what? Who?" I asked. I had no idea what she was talking about.

"Cedric Diggory," she continued. "You know, that really cute Fourth Year boy in out House?" she looked at me like my face had suddenly turned orange. "You didn't see him did you." It was more of a statement than a question.

"See him where? When? What are you talking about?" I was confused.

"The whole school is talking about it. How Draco had put you in the Slytherin dungeon and how Cedric Diggory rescued you!" she smiled.

"What? Did he come down and get me or something?" I didn't remember any of this. I was asleep when I was moved to the Hospital Wing.

"Not really. Heard you crying down there and Cedric went and got Professor Snape, the Head of Slytherin House. He used a special spell to open the dungeon and used a charm to lift you out. Cedric carried you to the Hospital Wing though." I had been rescued by one of the cutest boys in school and I missed it. I just HAD to sleep through my own rescue!

Susan continued. "Everyone's calling him the Heroic Hufflepuff now!"

"So now what's everyone saying about me?" I asked.

"Um," she began. I could tell this wasn't going to be that great. "They don't really know you...you're just the crying little Hufflepuff girl."

So that was it. Cedric got to be the hero and while I was the victim I wasn't even recognized. Draco got punished all right, but I felt cheated because I was representing my House in all this. So much for being a good Hufflepuff.


	5. Chapter 5: Loyalty

The rest of my First Year was spent worrying about final exams and avoiding Malfoy. (On a side note, when confronted by Cedric Draco admitted that he was going to come back to let me out of the dungeon before lunch. "What would my father think if he found out I starved a sniveling Hufflepuff?") The only good thing that happened was that Gryffindor finally beat Slytherin for the House Cup! (Of course Hufflepuff wasn't going to win the House Cup, but we were all glad that someone had at least knocked Slytherin down a peg.)

During my Second Year Huflepuff House felt threatened. It was this year I began to understand the true qualities of Hufflepuff House.

A message appeared on a corridor wall one night,

_"The Chamber of Secrets has been opened, enemies of the Heir beware!"_

Next to the message hung Mrs. Norris, Filch's cat, stiff as a board. We had no idea who this "Heir" was, but it was soon discovered that the Chamber of Secrets was a hidden part of Hogwarts that had been constructed by the founder Salazar Slytherin. It was also discovered that the Chamber held a monster that could only be controlled by Slytherin himself. If the Heir of Slytherin did in fact exist then the monster must have a new master.

A funny thing about Slytherin, he only wanted Purebloods to learn magic.

The Hogwarts Dueling Club was started because of a feeling of needed protection around the school. During the partner section Harry and Draco were for some reason paired together and Draco had somehow conjured a snake to appear. To everyone's surprise Harry Potter began talking to the snake! Well, I wouldn't really call it talking (it was all hissing noises and a foreign sound) but he was communicating to it. The snake was staring down Justin, preparing to strike. It turned to look at Harry and Professor Snape got rid of it. Whatever had just happened we were all convinced that Harry was directing the snake to attack Justin! A Hufflepuff! From that point on we decided that Potter was not one to be friendly with.

Harry was thought to be the Heir of Slytherin. It didn't really make sense. He was in Gryffindor, he had defeated You-Know-Who when he was just a baby, and he didn't snow any signs of being evil. But Ernie talked to me and gave me the reason that Harry was a threat to You-Know-Who_ because_ he was the Heir of Slytherin. After that it made too much sense. With a coming threat You-Know-Who would have wanted to get rid of it, but the threat was too much for him even as a baby, so it helped explain how Harry had survived.

After that I decided to join the others in ignoring Harry. If anybody for any reason was not nice to a Hufflepuff we all stood up. That's just who we are. We may not be the most desired House in Hogwarts, but we have each other. One day I decided to ask the Fat Friar why he was the ghost of Hufflepuff.

"Whenever a person dies they are given two options," he began, "the first is to go to the next world, the second is to remain in the first world for all eternity as an immortal being."

"Why did you chose to stay behind here?" I asked. My face began to flush with embarrassment. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize how personal that question really was-"

"Not to worry," he laughed. "Each ghost has his or her own story to tell. I will admit that not many student have asked me mine, but it is such a lovely thing to tell. I stayed here to be the ghost of Hufflepuff House! You know just as well as I do that we are best known for showing the quality of loyalty, but when we have only each other to support we form a special bond that none of the other Houses have with their students."

Each House has their own way of forming loyalty. Gryffindor is full of the bravest who support each other when they face trouble. Slytherin students assist each other in achieving their goals. Ravenclaw helped each other out by studying together and becoming the brightest students. Hufflepuff never has to worry about those things, so our loyalty is based on the solid fact that we need each other's support.

When Hermione Granger was petrified by the monster Hufflepuff was finally assured that Harry Potter was not the Heir of Slytherin because no one, not even Draco the git, would turn against his own House. It just isn't done.


	6. Chapter 6: Not Enough

Anyone who is anyone knows what happened regarding the Chamber of Secrets. Harry saved the day, we got rid of that dreadful teacher Lockhart (I don't remember any of his lessons because I have blocked them from my mind), and Hogwarts was once again a safe place.

At the end of my Second Year we were supposed to start choosing out own classes for the following school year. We were going to have to take our regular courses but we had other options to add to them such as Arithmancy, Divination, Muggle Studies, and Ancient Runes. At breakfast one morning Susan was complaining about her potential life being ruined by any possible schedule she came up with.

"If I take Care of Magical Creatures that would prepare me for becoming an Auror, but if I don't take Divination how will I know if I don't have a special gift or not?" she wined. I was busily trying to ignore her while putting marmalade on my toast, but she just kept talking about it. "And I would so like to take Muggle Studies (Muggles are just so much fun, don't you think?) but if I change my mind later to become a translator for Ancient Runes then I will be behind!"

"And we certainly don't want that," I stated, quickly gulping down some milk.

Suddenly her eyes looked up from her papers and looked at me. "Help me, what have you decided to take? Have you figured out what you want to do for a living?"

It was the question I most dreaded. Ever since I could remember when people asked me "what do you want to do when you grow up?" I gave a different answer every time or didn't answer at all. I never decided what I wanted to do in life and that moment was when I realized it.

"I don't know," was all I could say. Susan just shrugged and went back to complaining about her own life, but her words were lost to me. What was I going to do when I was older? I had no idea and didn't exactly feel like knowing just yet. But I apparently had to know to pick the right classes that would "determine the rest of my life."

I consulted Cedric. Ever since he got me out of the dungeon I practically worshiped him.

"Well, what are you good at?" he asked. He was in the middle of a game of Exploding Snap with one of his friends so he was only able to half listen to me.

"Herbology, I guess. But I don't want to work with plants for the rest of my life."

Ace on a two of spades. I could see I was being a distraction.

"If you don't figure out now there's always next year."

He was able to put down a King of hearts just in time to keep an exploding sound from going into his face and turn around to go into the face of his opponent.

Next year. By then it would be too late.

I went up to my bed and sat on it, mindlessly looking out the window at the garden. I didn't really want a job. I never really pictured myself outside of Hogwarts. I just pictured myself being a student for the rest of my life or being a mom with a few kids learning magic. Everyone talks about growing up, getting a job, making a lot of money, falling in love and settling down, but I just wanted to settle down after I graduated. Just have a nice, quiet, stay at home wife kind of life with a part time position to get a few more galleons. I knew what I wanted, but it wasn't one of the options that was being presented. All this pressure for getting a career was getting to me.

Is it really not enough to just be a mother for a living? Apparently it's not.

I resolved to taking the classes I thought would be the most interesting; Care of Magical Creatures, Divination, and Muggle Studies. If I was going to have to have a career it might as well be something I liked.


	7. Chapter 7: Not Taken Siriusly

Sirius Black. Now known as a hero who died protecting Harry Potter but during my Third Year was known as a murderous mad man who was out to kill Harry. I recall the train ride to Hogwarts that year. I was sharing a compartment with Susan, who I adopted as my best friend, and Justin. We were just in the middle of trading Chocolate Frog cards when the train stopped. I was excited to get back to Hogwarts so I stood up to look at the window, but it was raining and dark. Even if we were at Hogwarts already I wouldn't have been able to see the castle. The lights flickered and dimmed. Something was wrong. The three of us looked outside of our compartment door just in time too see a large, dark figure pass by. The air turned a bitter cold, it felt like the air just froze into place and we could no longer breath. My mind began racing. All my doubts of being good at anything returned, my worries about being able to do well in my new classes, and my worst fear of Cedric not returning my secret feelings for him all flooded into my head and I felt myself starting to shake, the sobs that were forming frozen in the cold. Then, just as quickly as it started, it ended. I felt warmth begin creeping back into my fingers and I could breath freely again. Apparently Susan and Justin were the same because all three of us just started looking at each other blankly.

"What was that?" asked Justin, his voice low in case it came back.

"One of the guards of Azkaban," I whispered. "A dementor."

Susan remembered her mom talking about chocolate helping after being in close proximity with a dementor and we still had our chocolate frogs to eat. We didn't enjoy them, though. It felt like eating an antidote for an emotional poison. I will admit, however, that we all felt much more cheerful after our first few frogs.

Suddenly we heard a scream. It was coming from quite a few compartments back, but it was loud enough for us to hear. Justin, seeming to be the bravest Hufflepuff in the compartment, slowly opened the door and poked his head out to see what was happening. Just as he did, though, a blonde headed boy almost ran into him!

"AHHHHH! HELP!" he screamed, half running half tripping down the train corridor, "IT'S CHASING ME!"

Justin immediately closed the door and just stifled a laugh. It just so happened to be that blonde headed boy was Draco Malfoy. I can now say that I believe he was finally properly punished for what he did our First Year.

When we arrived at Hogwarts the dementors were everywhere, posted at every entrance, looking menacingly down at us. (Well, we couldn't see their faces due to their large black cloaks, but I could swear that if their faces were visible they would have been menacing.) Dumbledore told us that we should not be afraid of them as we do not give them any trouble. They were not fooled by disguises, or tricks, "or invisibility cloaks" he added for some reason. I knew I wasn't going to get in any trouble with the dementors because I wasn't even close to being brave enough to be just ten meters away from it.

On our first day of Transfiguration Professor McGonagall taught us about Animagi, people who could turn into animals. She demonstrated by turning into a cat and received a resounding applause from the class. This got me to thinking.

"If the Dementors aren't fooled by any disguise but they haven't found Black yet. Maybe he's some sort of Animagi?" It seemed to be a good explanation.

While doing some research in the library Professor Sprout found me and came over to see what I was doing.

"My, that is a lot of books you have there," she chuckled. "What in the name of Merlin are you looking for?"

"Information about Animagi," I said, flicking through the table of contents of a rather dusty book. It was tickling me nose "_Achoo!_"

After the sneeze I received a rather disgruntled look from Madam Pince but ignored it and turned to a random chapter.

"Why?" asked the Friar.

I looked on the other side of her and saw a promising book. "To find out if Sirius Black could be one of some sort,"I stated, trying to not to accidentally run into her as I reached for it.

"_Tranformation and other States of Deception_," I read. "See, I remembered Dumbledore saying that the dementors are not fooled by disguises, but then why hasn't Sirius Black been recaptured? He must be hiding in some sort of disguise if no one has seen him, but we learned about Animagi today in Transfiguration and I thought maybe he's one." By the time I finished explaining the book was already on the table, blowing dust everywhere. I held my breath so as not to sneeze again.

The Professor smiled at me. "Dear, if he were an Animagus the Ministry would know."

I looked up at her. "They would?"

"Why of course. Any Animagus has to be registered with the Ministry. If he were one then they would have said so, see?"

I looked down at the book. All my work was for nothing. I could have been studying for Charms during those hours I spent! But no. I had to spend it looking for information on the kinds of animals he could have possibly turned into. There was also the detail I forgot about Hagrid being able to find any animals around that didn't belong, so we were still safe. I had gotten all excited, thinking I was going to find the reason why people weren't able to find Black and finally stop him from causing any more trouble. Then I had another thought.

"Professor Sprout, is it unheard of for a wizard to turn into a plant?" I asked.

She looked at me, her forehead scrunched in thought, "I have not heard of such a thing. But I suppose it is possible."

I got all excited again. I began looking through the book I had just picked out and found a chapter on wizards and witches having the power to turn into trees or small bushes in times of trouble. I had found the information I was looking for. I took my book and went straight to Professor McGonagall. She dismissed the idea with a kind smile, but did say it was valiant effort.

Valiant effort indeed.

After the attack on the portrait of the Fat Lady on Halloween night my theory seemed to be confirmed. The teacher searched everywhere for Black but couldn't find him. He obviously turned himself into some sort of shrub on the grounds and the teachers just passed by him.

I tried to explain the idea to my friends, but they only gave me strange looks. I knew that if someone would listen to me something would happen. Soon word got all around the school that I was saying Sirius Black could turn himself into a flowering shrub. And I was. I didn't see anything wrong with it because I believed it to be true.

I became the laughing stock of Howarts. I was not only the Hufflepuff who happened to get stuck in the dungeon but also the Hufflepuff that thought Sirius Black could turn himself into a shrub. But no one really minded or made fun or long. I was just a regular Hufflepuf to them.

(But in my defense, I was not all that far off. Sirius Black, along with several of his friends, were secretly Animagi who had not registered with the Ministry and Black could turn himself into a large, black dog. But no one takes a Hufflepuff seriously.)


	8. Chapter 8: Quidditch

Cedric Diggory became the Seeker on the Hufflepuff Quidditch team. (If you don't know what Quidditch is I recommend reading _Qidditch Through the Ages _or looking it up on that Muggle contraption you call "Yoodle" or something of that sort.) I had never really been a large fan of this sport before but since Cedric was playing I was of course going to sneak out to watch a few practices. Cedric looked so good up there on his broom, his hair slightly tousling in the wind...anyways. Hufflepuff had a rather different approach to Quidditch than any of the other Houses. Everyone else was out to put Slytherin down a peg, but all Hufflepuff wanted to do was have fun with the sport. We knew our chances of winning were slim so instead of cowering in predetermined defeat Hufflepuffs decided to just fly around, play well, laugh, and enjoy ourselves. I never considered joining the team because I was such a miserable flyer but that never stopped me wishing that I could just go up there and join in the merriment of practice.

The first game was going to be against Gryffindor. I don't remember much of the game, but what happened at the end of it was beyond anyone's imagination. Cedric and Harry were flying close to each other, streaking across the air, obviously both after the Snitch. Suddenly everything went cold. It was already raining, but this cold was not from the weather. The dementors had appeared. There must have been hundreds of them, their long black cloaks billowing in the wind.

All my fears returned. I closed my eyes, shivering in my seat. I could feel Susan next to me moving closer to me. Putting her arm around me she shook me, indicating there was something happening. I cracked one eye open just in time to see Cedric catch the snitch! Hufflepuff wins! But that wasn't what Susan wanted me to see. She pointed up at something falling to the ground. Through the rain it was wall a blur, but it soon became obvious what is was. Harry Potter falling, unconscious. The entire stadium was echoing with gasps and screams. We were all sure he was going to die from the fall is someone didn't do something fast. It felt like time had been frozen and we were all watching him fall to his death, helpless to do anything. Suddenly Dumbledore appeared as if out of this air. He raised his wand and a giant shield of white smoke silently exploded from the end of it, rising up the expanse of the field. Whatever that magic was it was sending the dementors away. Harry was still falling, his speed increasing. Almost immediately Dumbledore slowed down Harry's fall, much to the relief of everyone. Without a word Dumbledore set him on a stretcher and levitated him to toward the castle and the Hospital Wing.

"Dumbledore sure looked angry," said Justin. We were all still watching the scene. Dumbledore leading the Boy Who Lived away on a stretcher, almost looking dead.

Everyone's attention went back to the field. Cedric was talking with Madam Hooch and Wood, captain of the Gryffindor team. Later we learner that he was trying to persuade her to let them redo the match. He had caught the snitch but said that it was unfair because Harry was unable to play because of outside influences. But both Madam Hooch and Wood admitted that the snitch was caught while Harry was still on his broom, so it was fair. That's one thing about Hufflepuffs. If it had been any other House there wouldn't have been any complaints on winning, but in Hufflepuff we try to play fair.

This is one other reason why I liked Cedric Digory. He was honest, brave, loyal, and very intelligent. You don't find many guys like that in world, let alone Hogwarts. Which is probably why my Fourth Year contains my least favorite memories.


End file.
